tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post1531119711429094379..comments2018-03-19T16:09:20.039-05:00Comments on Boston 1775: The True Story of Isaac BissellJ. L. Bellnoreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-56131296333182479442016-04-19T16:58:08.130-05:002016-04-19T16:58:08.130-05:00Thanks for that new link. The lines on the bottom ...Thanks for that <a href="http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/bb4ebb8a-0c69-c85e-e040-e00a18063bc4" rel="nofollow">new link</a>. The lines on the bottom of the page show where Palmer&#39;s message was copied and endorsed. By the time it reached New York, the original rider&#39;s name had indeed become &quot;Israel Bissell&quot; or &quot;Bessell.&quot; (A few ports further south, as I recall, it was &quot;Trail Russell.&quot;) Meanwhile, Isaac Bissell is documented as having ridden from Watertown to Hartford and been paid for the work. J. L. Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15405157000473731801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-3036605261571412642016-04-19T13:27:47.828-05:002016-04-19T13:27:47.828-05:00This is from the NY Public Library. It&#39;s a fac...This is from the NY Public Library. It&#39;s a facsimile of an original, which very clearly states Israel Bissell.<br />http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/bb4ebb8a-0c69-c85e-e040-e00a18063bc4The Red Queenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17170645315545026106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-71193495457171084972014-01-01T21:39:35.849-05:002014-01-01T21:39:35.849-05:00Than you for this info i happen to be the descenda...Than you for this info i happen to be the descendant of Isaac BissellAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-58434099489528427772013-01-30T15:38:28.856-05:002013-01-30T15:38:28.856-05:00thks for the infothks for the infomlpjappleacklolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01608421323211067809noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-23099327667515368232013-01-30T15:37:16.506-05:002013-01-30T15:37:16.506-05:00oh my that tis googd to know i thought Israel biss...oh my that tis googd to know i thought Israel bissel was the guy ill have to fix my report X@mlpjappleacklolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01608421323211067809noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-88192447910417944572012-05-06T14:47:19.547-05:002012-05-06T14:47:19.547-05:00Does anyone know about any of his descendants or r...Does anyone know about any of his descendants or relatives?kthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01582798557418970569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-39639168162371553882010-06-04T11:30:25.600-05:002010-06-04T11:30:25.600-05:00The Massachusetts Provincial Congress, through its...The Massachusetts Provincial Congress, through its Committee of Safety member Joseph Palmer, appears to have hired Isaac Bissell. Bissell started from Watertown simply because Palmer was living there, but there was never any question of Watertown paying him. <br /><br />Watertown was between Lexington and Boston, though not directly on the British regulars’ route. That meant Palmer got word of the British march and the shootings at Lexington relatively early, so he could spread the word. <br /><br />But was that all planned? To some extent, it was; there was clearly some earlier communication between the Massachusetts Patriots and the government of Connecticut. But I don’t think Bissell was waiting in Watertown for the moment to ride (his bill doesn’t suggest that), and I don’t think the Committee of Safety had delegated Palmer and only him to send the message. <br /><br />Rather, Palmer took it upon himself to spread the alarm, and other Committee members could have done so as well. Bissell could have been a regular post rider who happened to be nearby on the crucial day. Had circumstances been different, then another Committee man or another post rider could have taken up the same jobs. <br /><br />Consider the better documented story of Revere’s ride. Revere, Dawes, and the unknown rider out of Charlestown were assigned to carry the message by top Patriot organizers. But Dr. Samuel Prescott and his brother Abel decided on their own to get the message through. Like the Prescotts, most of the riders that night were probably volunteers on the spot, yet they were probably also already involved in the Patriot movement. So the alarm was a combination of preparation and improvisation.J. L. Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15405157000473731801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-42162702949539574192010-06-04T11:01:17.630-05:002010-06-04T11:01:17.630-05:00Can you tell me why Watertown hired Bissell (Israe...Can you tell me why Watertown hired Bissell (Israel or Isaac) to ride? They had planned in advance for this rider. Why from Watertown? Are there minutes from meetings that discuss the need, hiring and the communication from Palmer to Watertown? What if Palmer had been killed, was there a plan B? What is the story of preparation for this rider for he was not a Watertown lad, that happened to be available that night but a selected and paid personnel of the Safety Committee (?) to run this particular errand and who was waiting for the &quot;go ahead&quot; to spread the news. Why him? Who chose him? What was his background? Why did they trust him? And when did this planning start? When did they decide they needed someone and what kind of planning was done so it would work? Can you unearth the answers? Can you be the rider of truth to spread the word to all who care and respect the deed?FirecrackerH2Ohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10009306790271902031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-24883237361259345002010-05-04T13:55:48.654-05:002010-05-04T13:55:48.654-05:00Thanks for the verse, Chris!Thanks for the verse, Chris!J. L. Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15405157000473731801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-46339187515824699692010-05-04T13:48:46.462-05:002010-05-04T13:48:46.462-05:00Yes, like post rider “Israel Bissell,” the town of...Yes, like post rider “Israel Bissell,” the town of Hinman is a typo. The man’s body hasn’t been moved from Hinsdale since two days ago.J. L. Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15405157000473731801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-39481781835073906532010-05-04T12:58:34.512-05:002010-05-04T12:58:34.512-05:00J.L., I&#39;m not aware of any town in MA called H...J.L., I&#39;m not aware of any town in MA called Hinman. Could that actually be Hinsdale MA, where Israel Bissell is buried? If so, here is an example of memory creep- it happens to the best of us. ;)Roger Fullerhttp://www.nps.gov/mima/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28102666.post-73146700919116297752010-05-04T12:24:30.959-05:002010-05-04T12:24:30.959-05:00Here lie the remains of Israel Bissell,
Proclaimed...Here lie the remains of Israel Bissell,<br />Proclaimed for being a forgotten rider,<br />Who carried the news of Lexington Green,<br />To Worcester, to Springfield, to Silas Dean.<br /><br />In Suffield Connecticut lies Isaac Bissell,<br />Paid two quid one bob the actual rider,<br />Due fame usurped he lies there abjectly,<br />His name carried from Hartford transcribed ...incorrectly.Chris the Woburnitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11767360457057298740noreply@blogger.com